Wildcatters realized the potential of a 6mm version of this case as soon as Lapua released its 6.5×47 cartridge. The 6-6.5×47 is a versatile cartridge that excels in High Power competitions, Benchrest matches at 600 and 1000 yards, and PRS tactical match. The 6-6.5×47 cartridge is not only for paper punching. The 6-6.5×47 is a high-performance cartridge with excellent accuracy. It can be used as a flat-shooting long-range varmint bullet. Stan Stewart’s 6-6.5×47 varminter, a BAT-actioned rifle, is shown here. Stan’s rifle is fitted with a Krieger 1:10” barrel and excels at a variety of varmint ammunition. This 6-6.5×47 rifle is well-balanced and easy to handle, and delivers accuracy of half-MOA or better. The 6-6.5×47 is a precision long-range varminting rifle. The rifle is equipped with a 12-42x56mm Nightforce in Nightforce rings that have been “hand-lapped” for optimal fit and alignment. Spurs 6mm ‘Sellers Remorse Project’
Report by Stan Stewart
I sold my 6mm Remington Ackley Improved rifle a couple of year ago and regretted it. I began to think about a custom rifle that I could use for prairie dog towns and New York woodchucks at 600+ yard ranges. I have a 22-250 and.223 AR for medium ranges, but I miss my 6mm AI long-range rifle so I started asking around. The 22-250 chambering is fine, but it can be hard on barrels. I think that the 6mms have a slight advantage in accuracy beyond 400 yards. Shooters also have a wide variety of 6mm bullets available today. The barrel life and the bullet options were my two main reasons for building a 6mm gun rather than another.224 caliber gun. The question was, which 6mm chambering should I choose? I began to do serious research on the 6-6.5×47. AccurateShooter.com, and other websites, gave me a lot of great advice on the pros and con. I also spoke to gunsmiths, and many of them recommended the new cartridge. The small primer and enough case capacity allowed me to reach 3700 fps efficiently with a 70gr Bullet, and 3400 fps efficiently with an 85-grainer bullet without being over-bored. The 6-6.5×47 was praised for its inherent accuracy, without being fussy like my 6mmAI. After choosing my cartridge, I began asking gunsmiths for recommendations. Again, the people on the AccurateShooter.com forum were very helpful. After many discussions, I decided to go with Dave Bruno from Dayton, Pennsylvania. He was a great choice. Putting together the New Rig using Premium Components
I knew from the start that I wanted a BAT barrel and action. BAT Machine and Krieger Barrels have a great reputation within the shooting industry. BATs are beautifully-machined, smooth, and strong. Krieger cut-rifled cylinders are known for their accuracy and durability. Many 6-6.5×47 shooters use an 8-twist Krieger barrel to fire the 100-108gr Bullets. I, however, would be using smaller varmint bullets and chose a 1:10’s twist Krieger. This would allow me the ability to shoot bullets ranging from 60 grains to 90 grains. Dave chambered the.269″ barrel and fluted it to save weight. Dave also installed a Vais muzzlebrake. Dave fitted the BAT a 2 oz. Jewell trigger and a +20 MOA rail were mounted on the BAT, before it was pillar-bedded into a McMillan-Hunter-Class-style fiberglass stocks. Load Development for Varminting I selected a few bullets and powders that were recommended by other 6-6.5×47 gunners. I started by seating the bullets just.005″ off the lands. The powders that I chose were Varget N-550 and Reloder 15 I was very happy with the 88gr Bergers. In the initial testing they grouped very well and I was able drive them up to 3400 fps with ease. I wanted a gun to use for long-range varmint hunting, so I hoped the 1:10′”-twist would provide enough stability to handle heavier bullets. It worked — the 10-twist was great! I was able shoot the lighter bullets, and the 88s worked great. These bullets had a BC of 0.391, but were still travelling at 2600 fps when they left the barrel at 3400. I recorded group sizes of different powders and bullets. I used a spreadsheet to enter the group size/velocity information and then “crunch the number” to choose my preferred loads. The data gave a clear picture about what rifle shot best. This chart shows the relative group sizes grouped by bullet type. The powders for all bullets are listed on the last three lines. Stan Stewart didn’t grab a box and head to the varmint field. He did some research and found a wide range of varmint bullets that were suitable for a 10-twist barrel. He studied a wide range of varmint ammunition suitable for barrels with 10 twists. He conducted extensive group testing on a wide range from 70 grains to a 90 grain bullet. Below is a “line up” of some bullets Stan tried in his gun. Stan recorded all data on load, velocity, and group size in a detailed Excel spreadsheet. Stan’s tests revealed that although the light bullets were highly accurate, they were not ideal for long-range shots beyond 400 yards. Stan tested the Bart’s, Sierra 70 BlitzKings, Berger 80s, Hornady87s, Berger 88 Lo Drags, and Berger90s. The Berger 88 grainer was the clear choice for long range shooting (see the test targets on the right). This “Match Varmint High-BC Flat-Base”, with a BC of 0.391, offers high velocity and good ballistics. Stan’s average group was 0.40 inch, only the Bart’s 88-grain can beat it. Stan’s 6-6.5×47 can propel the Berger 88s with a healthy 3400 fps. This is a flat-shooting, highly accurate solution. Stan initially had high expectations for the Hornady V-Max 87-grain. Stan told us, “I also tried the Hornady 87 gr but they did not perform to expectations.” I am a huge Hornady enthusiast but these bullets were inconsistent in weight and didn’t group well. [Editor’s note: While many varmint hunters have had great success with the Hornady V-Max 87gr, this isn’t the first report that we’ve heard of disappointing results. The Editor’s 8-twist 6-BR never performed as well with the 87s as Bergers, Lapuas or Sierras in 85-90 grain range. Final Thoughts about the 6-6.5×47 Lapua
I have owned three 22-250 rifles and will continue to own one because it is an incredibly accurate caliber that propels a 50gr round at 3800 fps. The 22-250 is deadly up to 500 yards. Shooting beyond 400 yards is difficult with the light bullets if there’s any wind. It’s because of this that I chose the 6-6.5×47 Lapua instead of my 6mm AI. I could not be happier with my decision. It would be better if Lapua produced the 6-6.5×47 as a “official” factory 6mm with 6mm necks straight out of the package. Overall, I am very pleased with the cartridge and I thank Dave Bruno, who produced a superbly precise varmint gun. Click Here for the FULL Story with 6-6.5×47 load data >>
